1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to tools used to collect liquid samples for testing purposes. More particularly, it relates to a liquid sampler tube having an adjustable length so that it can be shortened to save space when in storage or in transport.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Liquid sampler tubes are elongate, cylindrical tubes that are lowered into wells or other liquid reservoirs to collect liquid samples therefrom. A check valve in the lowermost end of the tube opens automatically to allow liquid to flow into the hollow interior of the tube as it is being lowered into liquid held in a well or other reservoir. The check valve closes when the tube is lifted or displaced upwardly as it is removed from the body of liquid, thereby trapping a predetermined amount of liquid within said hollow interior. The liquid is then subjected to chemical analysis or other tests for a wide variety of purposes.
Liquid sampler tubes are typically made of plastic and are mass produceable so they are relatively inexpensive to manufacture. However, due to their elongate, cylindrical shape, they are not particularly inexpensive to store and to transport.
What is needed, then, is a way to reduce the storage and transportation costs associated with liquid sampler tubes.
However, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in this art how the needed improvements could be provided, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made.